Airing video of one of the facilities as it began a new round of military exercises, Iran announced Monday that it has built its first ballistic missile silos. The hardened, underground launch sites will allow Iranian commanders to fire missiles more quickly, Iran's state-run Press TV reported. A military statement carried by the official Islamic Republic News Agency said the silos were capable of launching long-range missiles.

Iran's development of missile and nuclear fuel technology has led to U.N. sanctions and accusations from the United States that the clerical regime is trying to develop nuclear weapons.

Iran says it has a right to peaceful nuclear technology, but the International Atomic Energy says it can't verify whether Tehran's nuclear program remains entirely peaceful.

The United States and the Soviet Union built more than 1,400 silos to protect their long-range missiles during the Cold War era. (read more)